Penpals
by januaryfreeze92
Summary: Fill for the prompt "I'd really, really love a fic where Sulu and Chekov fall in love without seeing each other first." Needless to say, Pavel Chekov x Hikaru Sulu. Gentle Slash, angst, fluff. Gaila and Pavel friendship. Set during the Academy days.
1. Chapter 1

**A fill I wrote for the prompt:**

_**I'd really, really love a fic where Sulu and Chekov fall in love without seeing each other first. **_

_**IDK how:((((**_

_**Maybe the lights go out in a training shuttle and everyone's huddled to a main room to hang out until everything's working and they happen to be sat next to each other and they talk for a bit, or they're trapped in a cave and have to wait it out or maybe they like, meet over a 23rd century equivalent of the internet and arrange to meet in person, or Sulu's a TA for a really huge class and bickers with him over comments on Chekov's papers or IDK something! **_

_**Thanks so much333**_

**Enjoy. :)**

- - -

Through lazy eyes, Pavel could see the curtains billowing out from the window. The rising San Fran sun filtered through the glass, causing oblong shadows to span from the regulated dorm beds and furniture. His chest rose and fell with every ragged, exhausted breath he took. He had taken to running at dawn because of how hot the sun was midday, and for one other reason...

So he would be up by the time Hikaru Sulu messaged his PADD.

Pavel's eyes shifted to said PADD that was resting on the table, longing for its screen to light up with an incoming message, but this morning there has been no such luck.

Yet.

Of course, he hadn't expected this to happen, to fall for some Cadet who he had never even _seen_ before, but it did. And it's been this way for months now. Even before he knew his name, when Pavel only knew him as Cadet Number 1684.

Pavel Chekov was only sixteen at the time, desperately homesick, and contemplating his future. The Academy had always insisted upon a new experimental program in which they pair up a student with another, anonymous one for support and guidance. Each would just be given a number to use, nothing more. Months have gone by since they had started speaking through PADD - Pavel and number 1684.

At first it was a bit stiff, formal. 1684, now Pavel knows him as Hikaru Sulu, would give him advice, answer any questions he had, and tried to help him through the difficult times in his life. Eventually Chekov had no more need for the program, confident in himself and his abilities, but he kept the friend. By the time they knew eachother's names, summer had arrived, and Sulu was off to visit family, and there was no way the two fast friends could meet eachother until the school year arrived.

Of course, Gaila had offered to hack into the system, find his student ID number, get Chekov a picture... But he thought of that as cheating. Plus, he didn't have the heart to tell her that it was just a silly crush - that nothing would ever happen between them. The messages weren't pledges of passion or loyalty, nor were they love notes. Hikaru sounded like a cool guy, one that Pavel could imagine himself being friends with... but even more than that, Pavel could imagine a guy like that having the ability to pummel him after class. Someone really dashing, and handsome, and heroic... Geez, he even fenced...

Pavel blinked when the screen finally lit up, the PADD vibrating on the table. Grinning, he sat up, taking the PADD in hand.

**Family can be so fucking exhausting sometimes.**

He laughed softly, typing in his response.

_Try having over a dozen little cousins hanging off of you._

**Haha - How was your run?**

_Long, cold, and sweaty. Summer is coming to a close._

Chekov was almost grateful for this fact. That meant Hikaru was coming back to the Academy.

**I still don't get why you would do that to yourself! Dude, fencing is way cooler. Maybe I'll teach you sometime.**

_Da, the ways of the samurai ;) and maybe you can come running with me sometime._

**Don't count on it. And more like the ways of the musketeer, I am no ninja!**

He chuckled again, blushing at the thought of this stranger pressing his chest against his back... No, not a stranger. He knew him like he knew himself - these months have brought them close, closer than he had ever imagined possible. He stood, placing the PADD on the dresser as he started to change out of the sweaty, disgusting clothes.

_When are you coming back to the Academy?_

This response took a little longer, and Pavel busied himself with finding a pair of pants that would be cool enough for the hot day ahead.

**A week, maybe? Maybe shorter. What, excited to see my pretty face? Lol**

Chekov blushed before starting to type in the affirmative... And then deleted it. Of course he did, but that was the worst part - not knowing who this is just made it that much easier to embarrass himself. One misconstrued thing said could cause Hikaru to stop talking to him, and, even though there's the possibility Chekov has never seen this guy before, that would hurt more than he could possibly imagine.

Especially if his face _did_ turn out pretty!

_Haha, oh, you know it. Can't wait. :P_

And with that he placed his PADD on the table, opting for a hot turboshower to wash away his worries for at least a little while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry guys, really short chapters. Originally written through forums... :( But hey, at least I'm posting a lot at once.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Only the story and this little program that they were on.**

- - -

The kid is fucking seventeen years old.

Never has Sulu felt more like a pedophile in his life. Of course, if Pav didn't have to be so fucking adorable or something... But he's seventeen. Seventeen!

Sulu thought of the jail time, what the academy might do, how much trouble he'd be in...

And his big sisters would give him that _look._

Sulu gazed out his window, as he had been doing every morning for the past few months now, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of a running star fleet student and imagine it could be _him. _But it wasn't any use - Pavel had told him about his route dozens of times. First he would run the perimeter of the campus, run by the water, and then circle the park. Unless he was a few blocks over, Hikaru would not be able to see the teenager who had managed to capture his heart over the past few months.

'_Teenager!'_ he worried.

He knew he was a coward more than anything, telling Pavel that he was out of town in an attempt to give himself some more time, to stop himself from being charged of molestation.

Hikaru looked down at his watch and, satisfied with the time, picked up his PADD.

**Family can be so fucking exhausting sometimes. **He typed, in an attempt to sound like he's been awake for hours.

Why couldn't he have said he was in a time zone a few hours AFTER San Fran's?

But he knew it didn't matter if he was talking to him at five in the morning or five in the evening. There weren't many moments he didn't think about Pavel. He even starred in his dreams, his face dark and mysterious.

His PADD vibrated once more, and he picked it up, his heart beating rapidly.

_Try having over a dozen little cousins hanging off of you._

He chuckled, almost imagining it. Whatever they looked like. With their own, cute little accents like his...

Sulu could still remember the first time he spoke to Pavel. He knew before hand that he was from Russia, and therefore assumed that there would be an accent, but wasn't prepared for the feeling that emanated from his chest when he first heard it. Not to mention the almost jizz-in-his pants moment. The poor guy must have thought he passed out or something.

The conversation went on as it usually did. Some comments enough to send butterflies through his stomach, some making his face grow warm at his attempt at a flirt.

After it became obvious that Pavel wasn't going to respond for a bit, it dawned on Sulu that he only had a week to control himself. Of course he wanted to meet Pavel, finally put a physical being to the name, a face for him to dream of and long for, even though he knew it couldn't be, no matter how much he wanted it.

Sulu knew that it was going to be one hell of a long week.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Only the story and this little program that they were on. I can't even claim that the Academy Library had such a room... So sorry if I'm wrong.**

- - -

Chekov squinted down at the library archive in thought. One of the best parts about summer vacation was that the library was to himself - but it was also one of the scarier ones. The Academy's library was huge. All of the volumes were recorded into the big computers, ready for download onto PADD, and the ones that could not be (The ones that were so old that they didn't dare scan them) could be found in the back.

That was where he had to go today, Pavel realized with a pang. To the dark storage room where the older books were held, the ones that could not be downloaded onto his PADD.

He looked down at the small electronic, considering for a moment what would happen if... No, he couldn't. He wasn't going to interrupt his family visit just because he was afraid of dark, scary room that was most likely crawling with large, black spiders...

Pavel shivered, trying not to think of it as he stood up, pocketing his PADD and swinging his open bag over his shoulder. Sunlight shone through the eastern wall, made almost entirely of glass panes. Sometimes Pavel would sit in the library and just watch the clouds move, sometimes counting the numerous panes of glass and running various equations through his head - the entire surface area of each pane, the entire wall, the bars holding the panes together. And when he could not concentrate on those equations, that were relatively easy for him, he would face away from the wall and watch the shadows it cast move and stretch like a giant moving thing, happy to be residing in the library.

Pavel made his way toward the back of the library where the light from the beautiful, glass wall did not reach.

It was soon easy to tell the difference between the old books and the new books. The spines were worn and leathery, smooth to the touch when Pavel ran his fingers along them. The door soon appeared at the end of row B98, locked to all but a select few.

"Name?" the automated voice requested when he typed in the code.

"Cadet Chekov, Pavel Andreivich," he said, watching as the doors silently slid open. Pavel took a large gulp before entering the room, listening fearfully as the door shut behind him.

_Alexandre Dumas pere... Which name first? Dumas or Pere?_

Pavel swore under his breath as he wove in and out of the rows of books, each row looking the same as the one beside it. For not the first time in his life, he was grateful for numbers - specifically, this time, the numbers on each shelf. His PADD suddenly started vibrated in his back pocket, causing him to jump fearfully. With a small sigh and a shake of his head, he pulled it out, not bothering to see who it was.

"Hello?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound as fearful as he wished to.

"Hey, Pav! Uh, are you okay?"

The teenager felt his heart begin to float when he heard the voice, causing him to clumsily knock into a bookshelf and shriek.

"_EEP! _Ahhh, da, am good, Heekaru," he said, his voice a few octaves higher than he would have liked.

There was a cough from the other end and Pavel clung to the PADD, as if it would protect him from whatever was in there.

"Wait, are you laughing at me?"

"No, God no! Uhm... What are you doing? No offense, but you sound scared shitless."

Chekov's face grew warm when he said that, not liking that Sulu could tell from his voice how fearful he was of the room - not that he had anything to worry about...

"Ah, I am just een the library - "

He heard another chuckle on the other end. "The classical section?"

Pavel laughed in relief. "How deed you know?"

He continued to look for the book, having no luck so far with it.

"What book are you looking for?" Sulu asked him after a few moments of silence as Chekov searched, just happy to have Hikaru's company.

"Ze... Ze one you always speak of - Ze - musketeers? You said I should read, da?" he felt his face grow warm as he babbled on, leaning against a shelf and giving up on the fruitless search. The books all stared down at him in their towering homes, as if judging him from their high seats. They were so old that their names were worn off the leather spines over time, making the book that much more difficult to find.

"Oh!" he heard from the other line, and a bit of a shuffle. "You know, you can just borrow that from me, right?"

Chekov sighed in relief, hoping that meant he could get out of there. "Da, zat sounds like a good idea, Heekaru," he said with a nervous chuckle, started to head toward the door. "Would you mind terreebly?"

"Not at all! You can, uhm, head to my place, if you want. To - to pick it up. I can give you the dorm building and number and everything. My roommate should be away, so it'll be f-fine."

A wide smile began to grow on Pavel's face, his face still a little red. "You won't mind?"

"Nah," Sulu cleared his throat, "It'd be my p-pleasure."

"Heekaru, get a coat on, it sounds like you are sheewering," Pavel reprimanded gently, the concern evident in his voice. He listened as Sulu gave him his dorm information, carefully taking note.

"Borrow it for as long as you want."

"Zank you. Oh, and why deed you call? You must hawe wanted somezing, I am sorry for going on about fear of leetle, dark places," he said with a chuckle. There was a soft laugh on the other end too, one that made Chekov's heart melt a little.

"It's fine, Pav. You can share your fear of dark, little places with me anytime," he said softly, "Uh, I don't remember why I called. But I'll talk to you later."

"Yez, talk to you soon," he said, hanging up the PADD with a sigh. Carefully making sure first to close the old archive properly, he began to head out of the library. Not to Hikaru's dorm yet, though. That trip he would like to take later.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Still only owning the story. :( If I owned Pavel, he would never leave my house. Sorry Sulu! Maybe you can come live with me too :D**

- - -

Ominous gray clouds loomed overhead, darkening the skies considerably as Hikaru Sulu started walking back toward the campus, large box balanced precariously between his arms. He could already feel the first few raindrops landing in his hair, tiny warning signs that told his instincts to run for shelter, cover, safety. Maybe it was a little unwise to wait that last hour at the house, in hopes he wouldn't run into the one person his thoughts orbited around.

A kind student, seeing his hands were full, held the door open for him and he muttered out a thank you as he dashed up the stairs, too impatient for the turbolift. The doors to his dorm room smoothly slid open when he keyed in the code, allowing him entrance. He froze, however, eyes locked on the cadet bent over his desk.

Searching for his book.

_Pavel Chekov._

He felt his breath hitch at the sight of him, his fingers momentarily tingling, as if blood was no longer going down there. He didn't dare make a sound, wanting to just _look_ at him for as long as possible. His curly, dirty-blond hair fell before his eyes as his fingers ran along the desk, then the shelf beside it. Sulu could see the pale, freckled skin of his chest tantalizingly peeking from his collar.

"Hey," Sulu said breathlessly, setting his box on the table. The kid jumped, bracing himself against the edge of the desk.

_Yep, definitely Pav._

"Oh, I am so sorry, I was just - "

"No worries! Uhh.... Sulu called me and said you would be here. I'm - I'm his roommate, Kevin Riley," he said, making his voice come out hoarse.

He felt foolish, becoming so caught up in his appearance but... His green eyes made him feel... Or were they blue? It didn't _matter..._ Though, Sulu planned to find out for himself.

And then he _smiled_.

"Pavel Chekov."

Sulu breathed in sharply, his heart suddenly increasing in rate. "Oh, so _you're_ Cadet Chekov," he lied smoothly, smiling kindly at the younger boy, really hoping the smile didn't look to manic.

"Why, what hawe you heard?" he said with a boyish chuckle, eyeing Sulu carefully.

"Only good things, I promise."

Sulu began to take things out, arranging them into small piles, not wanting to put things away while Chekov was there and reveal his identity. The box was mostly full of books anyway - botany, fencing, and an old mythology one his father gave him. Sulu loved books - not just stories, but real books. It was in the way they felt in his hands, the smell, the gentle sound of two pages scraping together as he turned them in earnest...

"Riley, do you know where Sulu's book eez?" he asked shyly, peeking up at him from beneath his extremely long lashes.

"Yeah, sure," he said with a cough, crossing to behind the desk where Pavel was, "He usually keeps his favorite books in this drawer."

He pulled out the book, caressing it's spine gingerly, as if it were a friend. Books such as this one were extremely rare nowadays - the paper cover was torn and ripped away in some places, but it would suffice.

"Here, you hawe some water in your hair," the soft, pleasantly accented voice told him, his small, white fingers reaching up to gently brush the driblets out, causing all thought to cease in Sulu's brain. Pavel was touching his _hair._

He could feel his face growing warm and held the book out to him. "Here," he said, his voice showing through before he cleared his throat once more, feigning a cough, "I mean _here."_

Chekov chuckled softly, his eyes amused and mysterious as he opened his bag. "Yo mayo... One of the books must have fallen into my bag," he said, picking another old book out. Sulu noted the look of annoyance cross his face, then a bit of trepidation - he had to go back to that room, "Guess I have to go back to the classical archive tonight." Pavel sighed softly. Would it be too forward to offer to go for him?

"Uh, I think I might pass by there later, do you want me to...?"

"No, nyet, eet eez fine. No beeg deal," he said with an assuring smile but, as bright as it was, Sulu could still see the fear there.

"You sure?"

"Da." He placed the two books in his bookbag before swinging it over his shoulder. With a last look out the window, now drenched in rain, he started toward the door, zipping up his Fleet issued jacket. "Be sure to get that cough checked, Cadet Riley," he teased good-naturedly, "Eet was nice to meet you."

And then he was gone, leaving Sulu with more questions than ever.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Still only owning the story. **

- - -

The last thing Pavel wanted to do at the moment was run back to the library, but he knew he should.

The clouds overhead had long faded to a foreboding blackish hue, promising a terrible storm for the evening to come. It was already pouring, and Pavel could see streaks of white hot lightening in the distance, closing in on the campus with every passing second. When he was young, he would listen to all the other kids speak of how God was angry, or how angels were at war... Of course, Pavel, being the boy genius, knew that none of these theories were true. But sometimes he would sit on his front porch and entertain such thoughts - What was there for a God to be angry about?

There were no students to be seen. However, he didn't heed any of these bad signs, only thinking of how nice it'll be to curl up in bed, or to call Gaila for a fun night of analysis of the male persuasion, or, especially, to speak to Hikaru.

By the time Pavel got to the library, his curly hair was soaked, leaving it deflated and brown in color. The light no longer shown through the glass panes of the front of the building, leaving the library dark and macabre looking, and the automated lights would not be turning on for another hour. He was hesitant to go into the room once more and thought of calling Hikaru again, but that would be silly and entirely unnecessary, so he just continued on his way, letting himself into the room with no trouble at all.

Chekov suddenly realized that he didn't know where the book was from in the room. The leather cover was stripped of all letters, leaving its identity a mystery. With a sigh, he pulled out his PADD once more, crinkling his nose in embarrassment. It rang once before going to the answering machine.

"Heekaru, it's me. I was just looking for a bit of help from you regarding - eh, just call me back. I weell probably feegure it out on my own any - "

And that was when he heard it, the one thing he never wanted to hear in such a modern building - a building run by machines and computers...

The sound of the silence.

Which only happens when there is a chemical spill nearby, a flood, or... When the electricity goes out.

"Nyet! Nyet! Let me _out!_" he yelled, running back to the door, but it was no use. He knew these doors were soundproofed, that there was no way through them without some kind of machinery. He was locked in.

Pavel looked down at his PADD, having hung up in his panic, that was now vibrating and glowing with a hue that was ominous in the black room.

"_Heekaru?_"

"Hey, Pav, what's the matter? You sounded a little frustrated on the - hey, are you there?"

Pavel started banging the door in hopes someone might hear him.

"I am stuck, Heekaru," he said, panic threaded through his voice. He blindly ran down an isle, reaching up and feel the walls for vents or _anything._

"_Stuck?_"

"Da, in the classical book archive. I was an eediot and leaned against a shelf, and a book dropped in my bag, and I had to go back, and now I'm stuck, and - "

"Pavel, _calm down,_" there was shuffling on the other end once more, scuffling, slamming, "Tell me, are the vents still on?"

Chekov felt the fear in his heart come to a climax. No vents meant no oxygen... Or at least a lot less than what was normally in the room.

With a shaky breath, Pavel leaned against the door, sinking to the floor. "_Nyet._ All eez silent for once." That was, except for the thumping of his heart, now sounding like a drum between his fragile ears.

- - -

"What should I do, Heekaru?" the small voice drifted up from where the PADD was on the bed, now strained. He obviously didn't want Sulu to know how terrified he truly was at that moment.

Images of Pavel laying on the floor, out of air, filled Sulu's mind as he through his coat on over his Academy issued sweats, not caring that he was in his PJs. The room was dark without the electricity, the only light emanating from the PADD.

"Pavel, I'm gonna need you to just relax. The more panicked you are, the more oxygen you need. Don't worry, it'll all be fine. I promise." He picked the device off the bed and left the room, running as fast as his legs could carry him toward the library.

"You cannot promise that, Heekaru. But I will try to listen to your instructions."

Sulu's heart nearly broke at his tone, listening to his slow, uneven breathing. The kid was scared shitless.

The library towered over him, much more foreboding in the dark, but Hikaru didn't waste time entering.

"Hey, I have an idea. Tell me about Russia. What happens when you go home?" he placed the PADD on the floor, allowing it to light up the room a bit as he started at the door.

"Well, as I told you, I hawe dozens of little - Heekaru, I am sorry, I cannot talk about zees. Eef I don't get out - "

Hikaru looked down from where he was at the keypad, looking to the door sympathetically. Fear was truly beginning to enter his own heart upon hearing the desperation in Pavel's voice.

"You will. I'll make sure of it, just hang in there, okay? For me?" he asked, beginning to panic. None of the override codes were working, non of the ones that would usually hack into the generator. He didn't know what to do.

"Anyzing," he said softly, drifting off.

"Pav, stay with me. I have another idea," he called, pulling the fire extinguisher out from beneath the librarian's desk, "Read me the book I lent you. That'll keep you awake."

He heard shuffling on the other end, and then he began, his voice sleepily forming the words as Sulu began to try an pry open the door. The banging echoed through the library, fading in with the sounds of chaos from the sky. The sound of metal against metal, scraping, sliding, pounding.

"...Young man, whose portrait we can - Heekaru, are you banging something?"

At any other time, Hikaru would have chuckled at the question, but instead lost control of his manic attempts and drove the end of the extinguisher into his forehead, causing him to stumble blindly until he hit the door, sliding down against it to the floor.

"Pavel, you're gonna be okay, okay? You'll be fine."

"I trust you, Heekaru," he muttered, the sleep in his voice overpowering.

And what was this nagging at the back of Hikaru's head, the overwhelming urge to close his eyes? He clung to the PADD, the darkness finally blanketing him as he listened to the sky unleash its wrath.


	6. Chapter 6

**'kay, guys, this is the last of what I have so far. I'm thinking there's gonna be eight chapters though, so... the end is near!**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned the characters but, unfortunately (for me, not them...) I don't. Only the story.**

- - -

Like after all dark, foreboding nights, the day had finally come. Sulu could feel warm sunlight hitting his eyelids, filtering in through the eastern wall as he began to stir. Dazed, he felt around him - not his bed, but a cold, hard floor beneath him and a door at his back. And then he remembered.

_Pavel._

In less than a second everything became clear. Pavel, the door not opening, oxygen running low... Hikaru jumped up, not caring if his leg was asleep or if his PADD lay discarded on the floor, only if the damned override code would work. He punched it in with shaking fingers, almost having to start over once or twice, and the door slid open to reveal the slumped over cadet.

Hikaru knelt beside him, reaching down to press his fingers to the pulse point in his neck, and breathed a soft sigh of relief - not dead, just unconscious.

He sighed in relief, allowing his hand to drifted up to caress the boy's cheek - this was the one he had been talking to for the past few months, the sun his earth had been orbiting. He ran his fingers through his soft hair, wanting to count the freckles on his face, make note of each curl... But it wasn't the time. He had to get him to the Medical Building. So he first shouldered Pavel's bag before, ever so gently, pulling the petite blond into his arms.

It would be way to sappy to say it felt like he fit there, wouldn't it?

He sighed though, awed at the sense of completion, and carried the boy out of the library, not paying any head to passing students but to the way the sun shined through Pavel's hair.

'_You sound like a damn psycho, lovestruck pedophile,'_ he thought, stifling all other thoughts of the boy in his arms when he made it to the Med Wing, wordlessly placing him on the biobed a shocked nurse led him to.

"Are you a friend, sir? Did you see what happened?"

"No, ah... No. Just a stranger who passed by," he said, hesitating for a moment before gingerly moving a curl of hair out of Pavel's face and felt his heart soften, "You'll give this to him when he wakes up, won't you? I, uh, figured it was his." Hikaru said, placing the bag at the base of his bed and the woman nodded as the doctor on duty rushed out, a grumpy looking cadet who Sulu recognized as Kirk's buddy. When they began to place an oxygen mask over Pavel's pale face, Hikaru realized it was the appropriate time to leave.

He was almost back to his hovercycle, the one he left forgotten in the Dorm Building B parking lot the previous evening, when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Sulu!"

He turned around, not expecting anyone in particular. Especially not expected the green skinned woman he was faced with.

"Hey, Gaila. What - "

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Her tone stunned him to silence. The incidents of the previous night left him breathless and somber, and he could feel the familiar feeling of panic seep back into his chest as he gazed into her face.

"What do you mean?"

She breathed out, an exasperated groan passing her pretty lips. "I think you know exactly what I'm talking about," she said in all seriousness, squaring her shoulders, "I can't let you hurt him."

"Why do you think I'd hurt him?"

"Because I know you, Sulu! And I know him. He's head over heels for some guy he's never seen before - he's looking at this whole thing like it's some sort of fairy tale, _but it's not_. He's not the kind of guy to just... He wants love, Hikaru," she told him, the last four words punctuated by gentle pats to his chest.

"It's different this time, Gaila," he said softly, his eyes drifting down to the still wet grass, "I - I've never felt like this before. Maybe that's what I want, too," And it was true, partially. The feelings were familiar, but new. With Pavel everything was new and exciting and welcome.

"How am I supposed to believe you?"

"You're talking to me about hurting him. With all due respect, aren't you one to talk?" He jabbed, his heart dropping through to his stomach. "It's taken me two years to get over you. I know what you're thinking of Gaila - those girls after you, those guys - "

"Well, I - "

"You said you loved me, Gaila."

Her eyes grew sad and looked away, anywhere but to Hikaru's face. "And at the time, I did. You know it's different for me - I can love another somebody every other night. That doesn't mean my love is less than someone else's..."

Hikaru sighed, pawing at his tired eyes. "I understand but, we humans, we can't keep up. Not everyone of us can be a Jim Kirk," he said sourly.

Gaila was silent for a few moments before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but this isn't about us. This is about Pavel - "

"And what does he want?" He demanded, his aching heart starting to beat faster. After all this time, she had the nerve to lecture him?

"He's seventeen, he doesn't know what he wants!"

The air grew thick between them as they just stared at eachother, both knowing how wrong her words were. Pavel wanted Sulu just as badly as Sulu wanted him - and that scared the two older Cadets.

"I - I'm happy he has a friend like you, Gaila," Sulu admitted softly, "He needs somebody. And if that person can't be me, it can be you. For now, at the very least."

She nodded silently, arms crossing across her chest. No more words were exchanged before he left, pulling a helmet over his head and starting up his hovercycle. Maybe he wouldn't go home right away - he had to think some things over.


	7. Chapter 7

**There's gonna be about one chapter after this - maybe more, but I think only one. :)**

**Disclaimer: I want Chulu real, reeeeeal badly, but I don't own them.**

- - -

It was the slowest awakening that Pavel ever encountered.

First he could feel his body coming back to him - his limbs heavy and numb. Next it was sound, echoey, distant... As if he was listening through a tunnel, as if he could put his ear next to a black hole and try to hear what was happening on the other side. Finally, his eyes drifted open. He slowly blinked, images swimming before his face: a clean, white ceiling, nurses in their blue scrubs, and a man he recognized.

"Meestar MeecCoy?" Pavel questioned sleepily, "Eez that you?"

Leonard McCoy was the only Cadet he addressed as "Mr", seeing as he was old enough to have a kid - not to mention, he acted a lot older and wiser than the Cadets he usually kept company with. Besides Cadet Uhura, of course.

"How you feelin', kid?" he asked, bending over him to check his vitals. Seeming pleased, he tapped the screen above the biobed and the breathing tube was retracted from his face.

"You're breathing on your own - that's good," he remarked with a curt nod. Turning to a young blond, he grunted, "Christine, Did Sulu tell you what happened when he the kid dropped in?"

"Eet was Sulu who dropped me off?"

The man turned back to face him when the nurse answered negatively. "Yeah, carried you in here like you were sleeping beauty or somethin'. You're lucky to be alive - we could tell that you weren't breathing in a sufficient amount of oxygen, and that you were suffering from hypothermia, but for the life of us couldn't understand why. Care to explain?"

"Da, s-sir," he said softly, storing the information about Hikaru away for deeper scrutiny, "I had to return a book to ze classical archive in ze library when the electricity when out. The door would not open."

"Why the hell not?" McCoy asked the boy, obviously not comprehending some part of it.

"You zee, eet eez to protect ze books. In case of chemical spill, flood... So ze doors close and do not open. And because of ze power going out, ze wents deed not blow out oxygen - so eet came in wery slowly... I should not hawe gone in there, knowing zees."

The man fixed him with a look. "You're damn right you shouldn't have. And you're lucky Sulu passed by - if the lack of oxygen didn't kill ya, the hypothermia could have taken you out."

Chekov shivered, not wanting to particularly think about what could have happened as apposed to what did.

McCoy sighed, ruffling the kids hair - a little out of character for him, so Chekov supposed he was truly lucky. "Plus, both Ny and Gaila would have killed me if I couldn't save you. So I guess we're both lucky today."

Pavel released a soft chuckle, starting to push the heavy blanket off of him in an attempt to reach down to his bag, but McCoy caught him.

"Oh no, you don't," he said, pulling the blanket back up to his chin and handing him the bag he was reaching for, "You're not going anywhere."

The boy pouted, but nodded, watching as the man disappeared behind the curtain he pulled around the bed to give him some privacy. Turning his attention back to the bag in his lap, Pavel retrieved his PADD. There were three messages waiting.

The first was from that morning, a simple instant message.

_Hey, Pavel, are you awake? You kinda scared me last night, lol. I'm sure you're fine, but message me back when you get the chance._

The second was an hour later, to the minute, also in message form.

_Pav, where are you? I'm sure you're fine but please message me back so I know you're okay. _

The third was a call left for him only 20 minutes ago. Pavel held the PADD up to his ear to listen, feeling guilty about being the cause of Hikaru's fear and stress.

"Pavel, where are you? I'm sorry, I know I'm probably overreacting - I mean, you went through hell last night and I'm making it about me. I - I'm just... You know, worried, I guess," Pavel heard him stop, swearing softly under his breath, "I just want you to be okay. Call me when you get this," Sulu stopped again, as if unsure how to end the call and just sighed before finishing, his voice tight, "I... I'll talk to you soon."

Chekov let the PADD slip through his hands onto the pillow, falling deeply into his thoughts. To Pavel, there was no sense in Hikaru's actions. He was either back early from vacation or was never away, something that Pavel would excuse if he didn't lie to him. He was a boy genius for God's sake, but even though he could ascertain that the gorgeous, japanese man was, indeed, Hikaru Sulu, he couldn't figure this out.

His fingers swiftly tapped through the PADD, calling back the number with ease, gazing up to look at the clean, white ceiling as it rang.

"Heekaru, it's Pavel. I'm fine - apparently I hawe hypothermia, and I hawe a wery weird tube stuck in my nose. It's white... And I think it helps me breathe.... Anyway,I'm sorry for scaring you and worrying you - I would newer want to do zat. I will be okay, I promise. And no, you are not making eet about you. I..." he trailed off for a moment, "I wouldn't have made eet through last night wizout you, you know zat. Zank you. Don't get too scared eef I don't respond right away - ze drugs are wery drowsy-making, makes my head spin... So I may just go to sleep, and when I wake up I'll call Gaila or something. Ooph, I zink I'm hungry..." Pavel's head started whizzing with the drugs that were probably just added to his system and he tried to roll over, whimpering out of frustration when the tube attached to his face was pulled. "I wish you were here, Heekaru. I'll see you soon."

Pavel fell asleep faster than he thought possible, certain fantastical images of a sword-wielding Sulu dancing through his brain, reciting the digits of pi.

- - -

This time, waking up took much faster. First there was shuffling, then a loud thump, and arguing, and finally the sight of Gaila holding up bags of food over Pavel, the smell beginning to waft out the top.

"I come bearing gifts...!" she squealed with a chuckle and sat on the chair she pulled over for herself, "Specifically, food from the mother country."

The teenage boy grinned up at her, curls awry as he hurriedly sat up. "Gaila, I am starwing! And how deed you know...?"

"Oh, you're friend called me," she said, not overly enthusiastic, but Pavel obviously took no notice, smiling to himself at the thought that Sulu would take the time to contact his friend and tell her that he was hungry at the Medical Center.

As he very happily dug into his stroganoff, Gaila turned to him. "So, why are you in here anyway? I don't suppose your boyfriend put you in here, did he?" she asked him, and if he didn't know any better he'd say she sounded a little bitter.

"Actually, he did - but not in ze way you are zinking. He took me here, although he doesn't know that I know that," he said with a sneaky smile, one that caused Gaila to look up at him with a quizzically raised eyebrow, one that could challenge Commander Spock's.

Pavel told her the happenings of the night previous, along with full accounts of why he was there in the first place and if it bored her, she didn't show it.

"But wait... How did you know that it was him in the room and not Kevin Riley?" Gaila asked, her food momentarily forgotten.

"Well, number one, he ees wery bad at making his voice deeferent. Number two, the books he was taking out of the box he brought with him were botany books. Number three, he stroked the spine of The Three Musketeers like it was his - "

"Okay, and?"

"... And I may have dated Kevin Riley my freshman year here."

Gaila chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You are a boy genius, I can give you that much," she said, her thoughts revolving around the fact that Sulu had gone out of his way to bring Chekov to the Med building, stayed up half the night with a hysterically scared teenager... Could she have been wrong about him?

"Pavel, I gotta ask you - why do you like this guy, anyway? Why so much? You've never met him before."

The boy fell silent, resting the almost empty to-go container on the table next to him. The answer she got was not the answer she expected.

"But Gaila, we hawe met," he said softly, his hands in his lap, "I know the way he thinks, what he's passionate about, his likes and dislikes, his past, what side of the bed he sleeps on - I know that he wanted to be a helmsman since he was eight, and before that he wanted to be a hobo. I know that some girl really hurt him, making him think he'd never like anyone like that again, and had to go lose himself in so many other people he couldn't find himself again for a long time. It's not the thrill of not knowing who it is... Because I do know him." Pavel finally looked over at her, shaking his head softly, a small, lopsided smile appearing on his face. "I know it'll probably never happen, but there's no harm in hoping, right?"

Gaila looked down at her lap, fiddling with the corner of the paper bag she brought their little Russian feast in. "No harm at all, Pavel," she said softly, severely conflicted on the matter, deciding that she would resolve this and make Pavel happy - no matter what that entailed.


	8. Chapter 8

**I guess I kinda promised some Gaila action in the last chapter without meaning to! So this probably won't be the last chapter. There are some subtle hints of Chekov x Gaila in this chapter, but don't worry, that's not the main pairing, as you know. :) Just some sad, unknown unrequited love and best friendship. **

**Disclaimer: I only own the story.**

- - -

One of the best and worst things with being someone's best friend was that you knew exactly when they're down - even when they deny it. Pavel's past day and a half in bed seemed to dampen his spirits considerably, a depression she hadn't seen in him since he received an 88 on a xenobiology test score. Gaila looked over to where Pavel was sitting up, glass of vodka in hand as he retold the story in which he corrected Commander Spock. His face twisted up as he attempted to mimic the Commander's stoic face.

She giggled, happy to see him looking happy, even if it was under the influence of alcohol. However, he fell silent once his interpretation was over and stared longingly into his glass, as if whatever he desired was through the bottom.

"What's been with you, Pavee? You're not... Happy," she remarked, softening the question with a lighthearted nickname. Usually he'd be hesitant to respond, but alcohol has a certain way of loosening up the tongue when secrets are in mind.

He sighed, not shifting his gaze from their vodka filled prison. "Eez just... Sulu has not spoken to me since the message he left when I was in ze hospital," he admitted solemnly.

Gaila was about to laugh, shrug it off, make it seem like _no big deal_ until she saw his expression and how serious he was. "Is that bad?" she asked him softly.

"The last time we deedn't speak to each other for at least 2 hours was when he left his PADD at home before going shopping with his mozer," he said.

She looked down at her hands, eyebrows furrowing. She knew they were friends, and the Pavel had a silly crush on him, and that, hell, Sulu was interested... But didn't realize it was like this.

"Oh," she said softly. Trying to crack a small smile, Gaila looked back up at him, "Watch it or I might get jealous."

He chuckled softly, but the humor wasn't there.

"Don't be silly. You are my best friend, but... Eet's different. Sometimes I wish you were my seester, except for ze fact that eet would make some conwersations much more awkward... But I would never want Sulu to be my brozer. I don't know. Newer mind. I know eet's silly that I'm upset, and he'll talk to me ewentually."

Gaila listened, frown growing on her face when the realization hit her that Sulu was listening to her. She had convinced him that he wasn't right for him - this was what she wanted, wasn't it?

But the expression on Chekov's face proved her wrong. It wasn't Sulu hurting him, it was Gaila. Just indirectly. This was exactly what she didn't want.

"Pavel, don't worry. He probably lost his PADD - you know how boys can be," she said with a gentle smile, thankful that he didn't question her further because of his drunkenness. Standing up, she took away his tumbler. "Now get back under the covers - you're supposed to be getting better."

He smiled sadly up at her as she pulled the blanket around his shoulders, pressing a soft kiss to his head, the familiar feeling of protectiveness and love washing over her. "Night night," she whispered, squeezing the hand that he reached up to hers.

Gaila left the room quickly, making sure to dim the lights to 5% and opening the window shades, just the way she knew Pavel liked it. The night was dim, only lit by the night sky and campus lighting. On most nights like this one she would be on her way to the Star Bar or to new squeeze's dorm, but instead she pulled out her PADD and typed in the familiar number.

"What do you want, Gaila?" he picked up on the second ring.

She took a breath, not too surprised by his hostile tone.

"To say I'm sorry?" the words came out like a question and weren't as strong as she intended them to be. There wasn't any noise in the background - only his breathing and silence. "I was wrong, and I want you to make it right with Pavel."

The line stayed silent, enough to unnerve the orion woman who sat on an empty bench. "Are you there, Sulu?"

"What made you change your mind?"

"The only reason I spoke to you in the first place was because I didn't want him to get hurt. Now I realize your absence is hurting him more than I imagined," she admitted softly, her thin fingers tracing the knots of the tree beside her. She could see some lonely cadets walking along the cement pathways, some giggly and some quiet.

"You love him, don't you, Gaila?" he asked after a deep breath. Gaila's breath caught and she looked down at her hands.

"Just like a brother," she said, not knowing why it felt like she was lying. "He's special. And I think you know that, or else you wouldn't have listened to me."

"How is he?" Sulu asked after a moment of silence, staring up at his ceiling, the light from the PADD illuminating it.

"He's sick and alone, Sulu. And now he has vodka for company instead of me, or you for that matter. You have to talk to him."

"I will, eventually," he said softly, not wanting to wake up his parents. His sisters were out, he knew, probably at the Star Bar or another joint in San Fran and probably would be for the next few hours.

"Eventually?" she asked, her voice incredulous.

"Think about it for a second, Gaila. You were right. And even if I did call, apologize, whatever - where would that leave us? I don't know how I'll be friends with him, wanting..." he could just imagine how much it would_ hurt_ to look over at him when they're playing a video game, or if he was to teach him how to fence like he offered, and know that he couldn't have him.

"He wants the same thing, Hikaru."

"He's seventeen, he doesn't know what he wants, remember?" he whispered painfully and shook his head, a sigh passing his lips. "I'll see you soon, Gaila."

"You were seventeen once, Hikaru. And you know just as well as I do that he knows what he wants."

He hung up then, not prepared to go further into it. He already said he would talk to Pavel, which he would, once he knew what to say. So he rolled onto his side, preparing for a night of restlessness and tried not to think of how Pavel looked in the tiny dorm cot, nose red and sniffly, eyes swollen shut.

- - -

He didn't expect a call from her, to say the very least. Especially not to apologize, to say that she was wrong, and to make it right between him and Pavel. Hikaru didn't like thinking that he was upsetting him by not speaking to him, but the damage was done - on both fronts.

Hikaru had spent the last day or so since he spoke to Pavel thinking about how bad he would be for him. He was older, not as innocent, not as good hearted... He didn't deserve him. Gaila's words rang true and served as the catalase for change - the thing that pushed his teetering decision over the edge. He couldn't mar his innocence, and more than anything did not want to be the one to hurt him.

And it isn't like one can fall in love with someone they've never seen. Someone they don't know.

There were a few times Sulu lingered around the campus, paying too close attention to the students around him, pausing everytime he happened to see a boy with similar build, similar hair - but never were any of these boys the one he was thinking of. Nor should they have been: Pavel was to stay in bed and could jeopardize his health by not following those instructions. So Hikaru would shake his head, pushing all thoughts of nursing his Pavel back to health.

"No, not mine," he muttered softly, running a hand through his hair, still mussed from a restless sleep. Sulu sighed, sitting up in his bed. "Computer, what time is it?" he asked the darkness, reaching up to pull a sweatshirt over his bare chest - he needed air.

"05:17" the automated voice promptly responded and Sulu left the room, careful not to disturb his family as he did so.

The cold air hit him like a wall of ice when he exited the apartment building. He felt a bit like a baby, knowing it really wasn't that cold and that he was overreacting. The early morning had an actually _gray look_ to it as he walked down the street, arms crossing over his chest.

He didn't bother starting up his hovercycle, just needed to walk in a sorry attempt to cease all thought. So he noted every detail of the buildings around him, the incline of the hills leading down to the water, the feeling of goosebumps forming on his skin.

Sulu didn't realize he was even running until he felt the wind whip through his hair. It was odd, because he hated to run, would tease Pavel mercilessly about it. But Hikaru was finally understanding for once - it wasn't that he was running to something, it was that he was running away, trying to leave all emotion, all thoughts in his wake, hoping they wouldn't catch up until he was finally ready.

When the water front finally came into view he slowed to a walk, feeling the sun start warming his back. He would have missed it if the movement hadn't caught his eye at the last second as he was turning to head home - the silhouette of a boy running, illuminated by the sun at his back.

"Pavel?" he asked the wind softly, not planning on stopping the boy until he saw him stumble and rest his hand on the rail that looked over the ocean.

"Pavel!" Hikaru called, running forward to the boy whose head was now cradled gingerly in his long, pale fingers.

The boy looked up in puzzlement, only to reveal the face that had been haunting his thoughts ever since he first laid eyes on it. "What are you doing out of bed?" he demanded, strolling up to him, close enough to noticed how flushed his cheeks were - more so than they would be just by running.

"'Karu, what, what are you... Why hawen't you been talking to me?" he asked him softly, obviously paying no heed to the way Hikaru was obsessing over him, holding a hand to his forehead, to his cheeks.

"You're burning up," he noted softly creases of concern etched into his forehead. Thinking quickly, he realized how far it would take him to run back to the campus. "Come on," he said, turning back in the direction of his apartment.

"Why?" the boy demanded, "Why should I listen to you? You'we been ignoring me for no reason - I thought we were friends."

Sulu turned back to him, his heart splintering painfully. "We are friends, Pav. You know that," he consoled, resting a hand on his arm and was heartened when he didn't shake it away. His bare skin was cold to the touch.

"Then why hawen't you been speaking to me?"

"Listen - if I promise you we'll talk about this when we get back to my place, will you follow me? Please? I really don't want Gaila to break my legs when she learns that I saw you out of bed and didn't do anything."

Pavel nodded. "Wait - you know Gaila?"

"I'll explain when we get back, I promise," he said, gesturing in the direction of his apartment once more.

"You will be hawing much explaining to do," Pavel said, following Sulu to his intense relief.

Of course Sulu realized that 5:30 in the morning wasn't the idea time for his family to wake up so, upon reaching his home, he turned to Pavel. "Just be quiet, okay? I don't wanna wake up my family," he said under his breath, unlocking the door as the boy nodded.

The door opened up first to his kitchen and then his livingroom. If Pavel had anything to say, he kept it to himself and followed Sulu silently to his door. Sulu silently ushered him into the dark room that could only be described as an organized mess. Boxes littered the floor, all manners of filled, waiting to be brought back to his dorm or unpacked. Drawers were opened to neatly folded clothes and the dresser was littered with little nicknacks - On there was a sheathed katana along with some little stones. Everywhere was plants - on the window sill, dresser, table, floor...

"Get over here," Sulu said gently, gesturing to the empty bed.

"But where will you sleep?"

"Don't worry about it, I have to water my plants, anyway," he said, trying not to think of how Pavel was now climbing into _his_ _bed_, the bed Sulu had laid on thinking both innocent and not-so-innocent thoughts of him, waiting to speak to him in the mornings and the evenings.

The boy fell silent, watching with big eyes as Hikaru watered each of his plants as one would care for their child. When he was finished, Sulu looked over to see Chekov's soulful eyes had drifted shut and reached over to close the window curtain. He pulled a thick blanket out of his closet and flopped onto the floor beside the bed, ready for another restless sleep when he heard a small voice drift down to him.

"Why don't you like me anymore, Heekaru?"

Hikaru sat up silently, looking onto his bed where the younger boy was rolled over to face the wall. "I know you cannot be asleep so soon. Ees eet my curls? My accent? Maybe I am too smart, not looking good enough? I - I can... Ch-change?"

"That is the most stupid fucking thing I have ever heard," Sulu snapped, perhaps too strongly for Pavel visibly shook. Sulu felt his pulse fall into time with Pavel's tremors as he reached over, laying a palm on his blanket-covered form, his voice falling to a soft hush.

"I don't ever want you to change, you got that?" he whispered, resting his chin on the mattress, "You're - you are _beautiful_ the way you are." Sulu felt silly saying so, but it was _true_.

Chekov fell still for a long moment before rolling over to face him and Sulu could see through the darkness the shine of his tears. With the slightest shifting of his Sulu could read what Pavel was asking for and slid up onto the bed, words useless as they simply clung to each other.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you guys SO much for sticking with me through this. :) Especially my dear lyri and, the prompter, paytofay.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own. Only the sisters and the library technology and all the stuff mentioned in the past chapters.**

The familiar noises that marked a new day in the Sulu household drifted through the paper thin walls similar to the way the scents from a bakery may waft through the city streets at five in the morning, or the way a man's pulse reverberates through his whole being, heard echoing through every vein. Hikaru's sister was snoring through the wall opposite the one the bed was pressed against, no doubt sleeping off whatever she consumed the night prior, a pan scraping against the stove top marked another of his sisters starting to prepare breakfast.

Hikaru could measure his life by the mornings he spent lying awake in this bed, taking a short moment to listen to these sounds. His third sister prepare for her shower any minute, he knew, thus causing the sleeping one to wake up and groggily demand that warm water be saved for her.

He knew that he should probably get up, extract himself from the pale arms encircling his waist before someone burst into his room. His family had no sense of spacial awareness or privacy, which probably came from the five of them living in such a small space together all of their lives.

The water turned on, followed by a groggy shout. _"Save me water!"_

Hikaru retracted his arms from the other boy's waist and his fingers circled Pavel's thin wrists, feeling the strong pulse beneath the skin there. But, whether by unconscious determination not to leave his embrace or by uncanny strength for one who's asleep, he could not break himself free. He sighed, assessing the situation - His back was to the wall, and the end of the bed was beyond the sleeping boy who was still holding him. Hm.

Gingerly, he placed his hands on either side of Pavel, maneuvering himself over the sleeping boy until he was crouched over him, almost ready to semi-flail off of the bed when he realized that that wouldn't be possible unless the boy let go of him. He sighed with frustration, closing his eyes and shaking his head, only to open his eyes ones more to a very-awake Chekov peering up at him with a mix of confusion, amusement, and shock.

With a resounding _Ooph!_ Sulu fell off the bed.

"Yeah, I guess we didn't exactly, uh, meet..." he said, rubbing the growing bump on the back of his head, his cheeks flushing discreetly, "I'm Hikaru Sulu."

He looked up at the head that just peeked over the side of the bed to peer down at him, a Cheshire-Cat-like grin on his face.

"Yeah, I kind of feegured."

- - -

Once Hikaru had finally convinced Pavel to take some of his clothes to wear after showering, they left his room. His mom was already gone for work, and two of his sisters were sitting at the kitchen table, a pan of scrambled eggs sitting between them. Aiko's head was cradled in her hands proving that, even though she's two years older than Pavel, she can't hold her alcohol as well as he could.

"A lot to drink last night?" he asked her, pulling out a chair and offering it to Pavel.

"Nope, just happened to walk in on you and your boyfriend cuddling. Ick," she said bitterly, chasing her eggs across the plate with the fork. Sulu's cheeks burned.

"It was so _cute_ though!" Chizu spoke up with a smile, salting her eggs happily.

"Can you shut up, _please?_" Sulu demanded, not looking at Pavel as he passed him a plate, their fingers brushing.

Chizu just chuckled, not paying attention to her little brother. "Come now. Do you really want to behave like such a kid? We barely get to see each other anymore," she said with a well placed pout. His older sister of 5 years had moved to the east coast with her boyfriend about a year ago, but came back to her home city often.

"You call every other weekend 'barely'?" he jabbed, starting to eat his breakfast.

"Where ees your tomato sauce, Heekaru?" Pavel asked him softly, bringing attention to himself for the first time. Sulu wordlessly got up, retrieving it from the fridge instead of using the replicator, knowing his family buys it fresh from the farmers' market.

"You never introduced us to your _friend_," Aiko pointed out, her thin, pale fingers rubbing at her temples.

Hikaru set the perspiring glass jar on the table. "Aiko and Chizu, this is Chekov, Pavel Andreivich," he said, the name that had been written on his heart. "The guy who just happened to give me his disease last night," he said with a smile and a well timed sniffle.

"Like an STD?" said the girl walking out of the bathroom, Amayo, the middle daughter. As she toweled her wet hair Sulu groaned, noting the way Pavel's pale cheeks turned an attractive pink.

"Nyet, I hawe a cold. Not STD!" he exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Can you all cut it out?" Hikaru demanded, "Goddamn it!"

The three of them laughed. "Well, if you don't want him," Amayo said, stepping beside the younger boy, too close for Hikaru's comfort and took his hand, leading Pavel to the now empty bathroom, choosing to ignore the wolf-whistles that followed them.

Closing the door behind them, Sulu grabbed the change of clothes Pavel was going to borrow once he was done showering and placing them on the counter.

"Listen, I'm sorry about that," he said, but Pavel shook his head.

"Nyet, eet - eet is natural here. I like it. I do not have siblings, only leetle cousins..."

Hikaru smiled,watching as Pavel leaned against the sink, hands keeping him upright. With a gentle laugh he reached up to finger an incredibly mussed curl. "You do need a shower, don't you?" he teased.

"You're the one not letting me bathe, I think you like my stench!" he pointed out with a soft chuckle, "Either that or you don't want to leave. Which I understand."

"Do you now?"

He blushed. "Not trying to sound proud. I mean... Now, eez hard to leave you."

Sulu smiled, his hand reaching down to press against his hip. "I'm not going anywhere. I mean... This is my parents house, so I should probably wait _outside_, but... You don't have to leave. Me."

Resting his hand over Sulu's, Pavel shared his smile and squeezed, glancing to the shower with a bit of hesitation. "I'll be here when you get out," Sulu promised once more. With a last shared gaze, he turned to the door before a hand tugged gently on his shoulder.

"And Sulu," he started, pressing a gentle, shy kiss to Sulu's temple as his back pressed to the door, "Remind me to thank Gaila for your street address."


End file.
